Research reveals half of Scots pupils travel to school actively

Just under half of Scots pupils are choosing to travel to school by bike, foot or scooter according to a survey carried out by Sustrans Scotland.

The findings form part of the annual 2016 Hands Up Scotland Survey, an Official Statistic in Scotland, which was carried out by Sustrans Scotland in partnership with 31 Scottish local authorities and funded by Transport Scotland.

A total of 454,777 pupils from 1,926 schools across Scotland took part in the survey, which asks children how they normally travel to school.

Of the 49.2 per cent of pupils who said they normally get to school in an active way, 42.9 per cent said they walked, 3.5 per cent said they used their bikes and 2.8 per cent said they arrived on scooter, or skated to school.

16.7 per cent of pupils said they normally travelled by bus, and 24.2 per cent said they travelled by car or taxi (22.4 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively). 9.3 per cent said they commuted via park and stride.

John Lauder, Sustrans Scotland’s national director, said: “We want to thank all the schools who took part in the 2016 Hands Up Scotland Survey.

“The survey is crucial in helping local authorities and partners to build a more accurate picture of how Scotland’s children are choosing to travel to and from school, and helps to pin-point areas where more work can be done.

“Research has shown that increased physical activity can help us lead healthier – and happier – lives.

“By encouraging young people to travel actively for their journey to school, we can ensure Scotland’s children develop healthier travel habits that will be continued later in life.”